Apparatus for raising or lowering canal-boats, &amp;c.



No. 7|0,635. v Patented Oct. 7,, i902.

A. UMLAUF.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING 0B LUWEBING CANAL BOATS, 81.6.

(Application filed June 12, 1902.)

(I0 Model.)

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llrrrrnn Srn'ras YATENT OFFICE.

AUGUST UMLAUF, OF VIENNA, AUSTRIAJTUNGARY, ASSIGNOR TO FIRM OF VEREINIGTE MASCHINENFABRIK AUGSBURG UND MASCHINENBAUGE- SELLSOHAFT NURNBERG A. G., OF NUREMBERG, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR RAISING OR LOWERING CANAL-BOATS, 800.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 710,635, dated October '7, 1902. Application filed June 12,1902. Serial No. 111,408. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, AUGUST UMLAUF, a subject of the Emperor of Austria'Hungary, and a resident of Vienna, Austria-Hungary, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Raising or Lowering.

tion of the load, as during the lifting or lowering of a load only friction between solid and liquid bodies arises, owing to the fact that the apparatus moves in water. Such a lifting apparatus is shown diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation, partly in section; Fig. 2, a cross-section. tails of the standards or uprights.

The essential feature of the lifting mechanism consists of two annular vessels '1 of such a form that their longitudinal axes form circles the planes of which stand at right angles to the water-level of the basin 2, in which they float. The annular vessels may have any suitable cross-sectionfor instance, rectangular, as shown in the drawingsand are of such a size that the necessary displacement of water is obtained. They are firmly connected with one another all around by means of stiffening-bars 3, so that they must revolve together at the same speed, and as the annular vessels fioatin their basin and are perfectly symmetrically constructed when in a condition of rest they are in neutral equilibrium, so that with the small friction between the water and the vessels walls a very small rotary power or even a one-sided loading beyond the center of gravity serves to turn or rotate the annular vessels. If then the vessels be weighted at two opposite points, so that the centers of gravity of the equallyheavy loads lie in one diameter equally distant from the centers of the annular vessels, very small power is necessary for rotating them. Accordingly in each of the two annular vessels 1 two rings are employed for the Figs. 3 and 4 are de-' reception of loads, said rings being formed like the vessels and being fixed in the latter exactly opposite to one another, thus forming so-called rolling drums 4, which are filled with a suitable quantity of water, which on the rotation of the annular vessels always tends to reach the lowest point in the rolling drums 4. These latter are rigidly connected with the annular vessels and turn with the latter on theircenters, while between the water and the inner wall of the rolling drums very little 6o friction arises.

In the water-filling of each of the rollingdrums 4 swings a p0ntoon5, the pairs of pontoons floating in the rolling drums lying diametrically opposite one another in the annular vessels, being connected by means of a bridge 6. The bridge 6 carries in turn a trough or water-chamber 7 for receiving the canal-boats'andthe like, and these water chambers or troughs are provided with sluices at both ends in the ordinary manner. On the ends of the rolling drums 4 the usual annular guides 8 for the pontoons 5 and the bridges 6 are provided, and in consequence of these arrangements the pontoons 5 and bridges 6 and water troughs or chambers 7 remain always horizontal without being capable of being displaced laterally on the rotation of the annular vessels 1. The annular vessels have a common shaft 9, which is connected with the periphery of the vessels by means of spokes 10. The main object of the shaft and the stiffening bars or spokes is, however, not to support the weight of the mechanism as it floats in the basin, but merely to render the pressure of the wind harmless. The shaft 9 runs in' the ordinary adjustable bearings 11 on standards 12 and 13, Figs. 3 and 4. The standard 12 carries at the top the upper canal trough or connection 14, and farther below at a suitable height one of the bearings 11, while the standard 13 carries at 'the top the second bearing 11, and a second or lower canal connection or trough 15 passes through its foot. The canal connections 14 and 15 are closed in the ordinary manner both against the lifting mechanism and also against the canal by means of sluices, with the object of regulating the water-level; but they do not form part of the lifting mechanism itself.

The two float-basins 2 are connected with one another by means of a canal, with the object of maintaining a uniform water-level in them.

The annular vessels 1 may be driven in any suitable manner by means of any suitable known motor.

Any further necessary and subsidiary apparatus is of course also provided.

For lifting a boat or the like it is allowed to move out of the lower trough 15 into the water-chamber 7 which is precisely in the lowermost position at the time, and then the sluices are again closed. The annular vessel is then turned through one hundred and eighty degrees, so that the water-chamber and the boat, which, as already mentioned, always remains horizontal, stands opposite the upper trough or canal connection 14, and the boat may be unlockedthat is to say, the sluices may be opened and the boat allowed to pass through the trough. In this way it is lifted, while simultaneously the waterchamber which previously was at the top has now come opposite the lower canal connection ortrough 15. Of course simultaneously with the lifting of one load the lowering of another may take place; but this is not essential, as the water-chambers 7 always counterbalance one another with or without the load, as when a boat enters one of them a corresponding quantity of water is always displaced, so that the other water-chamber which does not carry a load or a boat maintains the balance to the load in the firstnamed chamber by means of the larger quantity of water remaining in it. An extremely uniform distribution of the load and the greatest safety in working is thus obtained.

Instead of providing two annular vessels, as shown in the drawings, only one may also be employed.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isl. A lifting or raising apparatus in which the water-chamber for carrying the load itself is formed so as to float, comprising an annular vessel 1 floating in a basin 2, said vessel having pairs of fixed rolling drums 4 arranged diametrically opposite to one another and filled with water up to a suitable level, in which drums pontoons 5 carrying water-chambers 7 float, so that the pontoons always stand horizontally and are raised or lowered on the rotation of the annular vessel 1, substantially as described.

2. A form of construction of lifting or raising apparatus such as hereinbefore described characterized by two annular vessels 1 being provided parallel with one another, in each of which annular vessels are arranged two pontoons 5 floating in rolling drums formed horizontally opposite one another, in both vessels, the said pontoons being rigidly connected with one another by means of bridges 6 carrying water-chambers 7, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

AUGUST UMLAUF.

Witnesses:

MORIS GELBHAUS, ALVESTO S. HOGUE. 

